Dean Jaensch

Dean Harold Jaensch AO (27 October 1936 – 17 January 2022) was an Australian political scientist and a Professor of Political and International Studies at The Flinders University of South Australia. Jaensch was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), a Master of Arts and PhD from the University of Adelaide. He wrote many highly regarded books (14) on political parties, electoral politics and voting behaviour in Australian politics, and also focussed on South Australian and Northern Territory politics, federalism within the Anglosphere and empirical methodology.

Dean Jaensch
Born	Dean Harold Jaensch (1936-10-27)27 October 1936 Kapunda, South Australia, Australia
Died	17 January 2022(2022-01-17) (aged 85) Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Alma mater	University of Adelaide
Occupation	political scientist
Employer	Flinders University
Spouse	Helen
Children	3
Awards	Officer of the Order of Australia (2003)

He lectured at Flinders University from the early 1970s until retirement in 2001. He was an adjunct Professor with the Department of Politics and Public Policy. For decades he was a prominent political commentator/psephologist for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and a frequent contributor to local radio in South Australia. Jaensch was also a columnist for The Advertiser newspaper and an occasional lecturer at Flinders University. He spoke on public affairs and the machinations of State and national government. Jaensch advocated for proportional representation and an end to compulsory voting in Australia (though not necessarily compulsory enrolment).

Jaensch was created an officer of the Order of Australia in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours list for service to education and politics.^[1]

Jaensch was married to Helen, and had three children. He died on 17 January 2022, at the age of 85.^[2][3]

Selected bibliography

• A Plague On Both Your Houses: Minor Parties in Australia, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1998 (with David Mathieson).
• Power Politics: Australia's Party System, 3rd ed., Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1994.
• The Liberals, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1994.
• The Politics of Australia, Macmillan, Melbourne, 1992.

References

1. "Officer of the Order of Australia entry for Dr Dean Harold JAENSCH". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 9 June 2003. Retrieved 19 February 2022. For service to education and the study of Australian politics as an analyst and writer, and to the community through raising public awareness and stimulating debate about the political process.
2. newsdesk (19 January 2022). "Vale Professor Dean Jaensch". Flinders University. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
3. "Political commentator Dean Jaensch dies aged 85, remembered as academic 'shining star'". ABC News. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.

External links

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Dean Jaensch
• Flinders University: Profile of Dean Jaensch